A whopping 42% of the tourists in Benidorm come from the UK, compared to the same percentage of domestic tourists.
Furthermore, the city has 3,874 registered British residents, which accounts for nearly 6% of the total population of 69,738. Given these figures, it may not be surprising that some Britons feel somewhat possessive of this part of the Costa Blanca. However, their expectations of a perfect holiday sometimes clash with local customs, leading to tensions.
What is the problem now? It seems that British tourists are annoyed by the Spanish custom of getting up early and claiming a prime spot on the beach. They seem to believe that this is done deliberately to irritate them.
The “battle for sunbeds” has shifted from the pool to the beach. The image of tourists racing to secure the best spot by the pool is a summer tradition in Benidorm and many other Spanish coastal hotels. However, this competition has now reached the beach, leading to a confrontation between the local population and the British tourists.
British tabloids, The Sun and Mail Online, have published photos showing Spanish tourists setting up their beach chairs and umbrellas at sunrise. According to these tabloids, the Spaniards have two motives: reserving their spot and then going back to bed, and forcing British tourists to rent the paid sunbeds.
This claim was also echoed on the YouTube channel Benidorm Stuff in a video (visible on this page) that has already gathered over 2,600 likes and 91,000 views.
Benidorm City Council’s Response
The Benidorm City Council has responded to these accusations. Leaving personal belongings unattended on the beach or in a public area is not allowed, and the local police have the authority to remove them or impose fines of up to €750. However, the council clarified that they rely on visitors’ common sense and have not imposed any fines this year.
Even the Daily Mail admits that these early birds set up their spots while many British tourists are still partying or recovering from the previous night’s revelries. What do they expect? Should the Spanish locals wait until the British tourists wake up and choose their favourite spot on the beach?
Perhaps it’s good to remind these dissatisfied tourists that Benidorm is a city, not a resort where everyone dances to their tune. However, given their repeated visits, it seems that only a minority feels this way.
